Need advice on mixing Corps of Cadets with TAMU Engineering

Colleges and Universities A-Z Texas A&M University
1

So it’s nearing the end of senior year and the time I have to make a decision regarding colleges, and I have had my eyes set on Texas A&M. My sister went there, I like the campus, and with the academic experience at the university combined with the Aggie network, I would argue that it surpasses UT in engineering handily (I want to do EE specifically), and is one of the best options for the price period. Plus, I think the discipline and professional environment I have come to associate with the military would definitely be more prevalent at TAMU than at UT.
However, I’m not sure I will like the corps, which I MUST participate in if I go to TAMU, as I plan to commission and have been awarded an Air Force ROTC Scholarship. I have participated in AFJROTC, a joke compared to the Corps I know, but the closest quasi-military experience I could get in HS, and I have found that I do not particularly enjoy drill. Also, I am not too sure I will enjoy corps requirements such as living in the dorm all four years, having the “privilege” to maintain an austere lifestyle (no tv, rug, own mattress, food in dorm, microwave, refrigerator, etc.), going to yell practice, and going to the games on Saturday. This is compounded by the fact that I plan to do EE, with a possible double major in Computer Engineering or Physics. Plus, I am receiving a substantial amount in scholarships that require me to maintain a 3.5 GPA. I have always been very academically focused, as the valedictorian in my class of 840, National Merit Finalist, etc, so I am not sure how much the corps will detract from that, as I would rather study or sleep than wake up at midnight to go to yell practice. I know Air Force outfits are more academic and less exacting from what I have heard, but I still don’t know what I will be in for. I have my eyes on sq.11 specifically.

The bottom line is, TAMU seems perfect for me academically, financially, and career-wise, but in order to commission, I must go through ROTC and thus must also go through the corps, the only thing I am unsure about. I like the discipline, structure, and professionalism, but can’t say I am avid about the restrictions placed on fish, and all the distractions to my academics I will sustain.

A lot of background, so now for the questions:

  1. What is it truly like trying to balance Corps with engineering?
  2. What are AF squadrons like? More info on Sq. 11 would be very much appreciated, as I haven’t been able to find anything elsewhere.
  3. Based on what I have here, is the Corps right for me?
  4. What other options do I have?

I thank you very much for reading through all this and taking the time to help me out, because I have pretty much exhausted my other resources. My dad thinks I’m crazy for even having doubts, that I should suck it up, etc, which I probably should, but still, I’d like to avoid a catastrophe if I can.

I look forward to hearing from all of you.

Thank you again.

2

There’s tons of options. UT and A&M are neck and neck with their engineering rankings. I don’t know anything about Sq 11, so I can’t help you there. I’ve done some research about the cadet core, and they had to make huge changes in the last couple of years because the cadet’s grades, on average, were bad compared to the rest of the university. Grades are on the rise, but still lower than average. If you have to maintain a 3.5 GPA with an engineering major, I would advise AGAINST the Corp of Cadets. On the other hand, if you do lose your academic scholarships because you fall below 3.5, you still have your ROTC money. The Corp offers need based scholarships to cover room and board.

It sounds like you like being treated like an adult. The Corp of Cadets is not for everyone, especially when you have to maintain that kind of a GPA. Restrictions just for the sake of restrictions just because it’s “military” is stupid. You may want to consider UT and just go with a traditional ROTC program. That way, you can spend your 4 years of college as an independent self-motivated adult. Either way, you’re going to be a fully trained 2nd Lieutenant with the exact same paycheck.

3

Right, but the thing is I am being offered a lot to go to TAMU, and U.T. could not even come close to that level of scholarship money. I like TAMU, just minus the Corps. If I leave the Corps, what happens to my ROTC route?

4

That’s actually a really good question. You may want to contact the ROTC department to see if the Corps is required for ROTC. It looks a lot like it is. As of 2016, the average GPA for cadets is 3.06. Since you’re well above average as a student, it is certainly doable to do the Corp.

https://www.texastribune.org/2016/09/10/good-grades-and-starbucks-ms-corps-cadets-remakes-/

5

As with marriage, for example, sometimes a person just has to make up their mind that they will make something work out regardless of what may come. This could be one of those situations for you, @coolguy40. Have courage when these situations arise.

6

Okay. As I said, I will be in an Air Force outfit, which shouldn’t be as bad as others in the way of extracurricular requirements beyond the basics. Mean GPA is higher amongst AFROTC cadets than other branches, and gpa among corps members is higher than the university wide average. My whole problem with colleges is that my decision seems to rely on information I won’t have until I have been there and enrolled for some time. College visits don’t help, as I see that as another form of disingenuous advertisement.

MomHopesNxtGenAg, I understand your perspective, but if I make a mistake in this decision, it will be a costly one.

That’s why I need to know what it is truly like in the Corps, not what the school officials and staff tell me it is like. Can anyone help me with that?

7

Have you tried looking at the Aggie Subreddit and asking this there? There are students there that can probably give you more real experience than parents might be able to. My son is a freshman at A&M and also a NMF and we are out of state so I understand your concern about keeping the 3.5. From what I have read a lot of kids do lose their scholarships. So far my son has done very well at keeping his grades up. He isn’t in the Corp but he does keep very busy with other activities like club water polo team, club swim team and has now been selected as a fish camp counselor which I think can be time consuming. He went to most of the football games last semester and yell practices and many of the other Aggie activities. So, like I said, I can’t give you any advice on the corps activities, I can say that if you stay on top of your studies, ask for help when you first start needing it, it is possible to keep the grades up with a busy schedule. You are obviously a very smart student and you know what you need to do. You are doing the right thing by trying to gather as much information as you can before making this decision. I know I was very concerned a year ago when my son made this commitment, not knowing if he would be able to keep the grades to keep the scholarships. It is a hard decision.

8

Right, thank you. Fortunately I am in-state, so that takes some burden off of me, and is part of the reason why I am going to TAMU over schools like MIT and Stanford, along with finances. The GPA is especially important to me, as I plan to go to these top tier schools for graduate school, so that I can get the name recognition factor. I’m sure I can do the GPA with the corps, but I am really concerned that I won’t have the time to socialize and develop the connections, people skills, and enjoy myself at college, as these are opportunities I likely will not have in the same way again.

I will check out the subreddit. Thanks for referring me to it.

9

My son is a freshman in the Corps and got a 3.75 last semester. A lot of the structure and discipline gives you the time to concentrate on your grades, even though there are a lot of distractions. Not to mention it is REALLY STRESSFUL the first semester/year. Are you into the brotherhood and camaraderie part of it? My son loves that. Have you participated in Spend the Night with the Corps? There are definitely outfits that are more academic focused, as opposed to physical and athletic focused. You cannot do ROTC at TAMU without being in the Corps. TAMU is considered a “senior military college”, while ROTC at other universities are not. There are only a handful of SMCs in the country. Please research the differences in commissioning at SMCs versus ROTC programs at other schools. I don’t know a ton about that, but I believe you are more likely to get a regular, active duty commission at an SMC, whereas you could only end up with a reserve commission at another school (depending on what the govt needs are at that time). The best thing I could suggest to you is Spend the Night with the Corps with SQ 11. My son is in an army outfit, so I can’t speak to your AF questions.